CBR wannabe, or CBR beater?

Honda’s little CBR125R stood alone as a voice of four-stroke defiance in a market dominated by expensive Italian two-strokes. The Japanese has deserted the performance 125 market altogether, preserving it for their commuter and commercial offerings. But the CBR is keeping the Japanese flame alive, if not in terms of performance, then at least with sporty looks, especially in the trendy Repsol colours.

But a Chinese manufacturer wants in; with what seems like a shameless copy of the CBR. Xjgao is now offering teenagers a slice of the action – or rather looks – for much less, with its Sport Spirit 125. The Chinese is establishing a reputation for affordability and getting people mobile at prices the Japanese can only dream off. Of course, this is usually achieved at the cost of lower built quality, with the common sharing between Chinese manufacturers of older Japanese designs, combined with enormous economies of scale.

This makes purchasing a Chinese import a risky affair, and new Chinese brand-names arrive on the market almost daily. However, Xgjao has been imported by the Cape Town-based Motorcycles Direct (www.motorcyclesdirect.co.za) for three years now, and has established a healthy client-base. The brand is expanding rapidly over the Western Cape, and has Gauteng in its view finder for the next year.

The Xgjao Sport Spirit stands out as relative modern design (or copy, if you prefer), since the CBR itself was launched in 2004 only. It has also been the only Chinese make with this design on the local market, until now. Needles to say, the bike sells very well, and is a hit with teenage males!

Parked next to each other, it takes a keen eye to spot the differences between the Honda CBR125 and the Chinese built Xjgao Sport Spirit 125. Apart from the different colour-schemes, the appearance is almost identical. At R11 700, the Xgjao is almost half the price of the little CBR, and that price includes VAT, a helmet, licensing and registration in the name of the purchaser. Does the Xgjao’s value make the CBR seem overpriced? Is the CBR’s built quality, reputation and street-credibility enough to see off the Chinese pretender?

It strikes me is how narrow the Xgjao Sport Spirit 125 is. It feels as if my knees are about to touch any moment. Not unlike the CBR then. Starting the engine requires some fiddling with the choke, especially when cold. Inept owners do struggle frustratingly long on cold mornings, but it gets better with familiarity. It sparks and idles in a very quiet, civilised manner. For all its racy appearance, revving it does not really set the neck-hairs up straight; the engine-note merely deepens and flattens out higher in the rev-range. The four-stroke overhead-cam single seems lazy and heavy; gone are the days of crisp crackling oil-burning RG125 and TZ125’s. In fairness to the Xgjao, the Honda CBR125, isn’t much inspiring either.

Clutch-action is firm and positive, making pulling away a pleasure. Where the CBR scores an immediate win is with its comparatively slick gear-change. The Xgjao needs some encouragement to engage, and it feels wooden. It has no noticeable power-curve, and picks up speed serenely. But it is not a bike that likes to be hurried; rush the gearbox and a few false-neutrals can spoil your fun.

It helps to remember that this is essentially a commuter-bike tarted up as a sportsbike. Trouble is, getting a testeroned-charged 17-year old to accept this, will be a problem. Perhaps Honda’s renowned built quality can withstand a hurried, showing-off teenager’s abuse much better than the Chinese budget offering?

The CBR has a taut, stiff feel to it, whereas the Xgjao feels mildly rattly and harsh. The suspension is definitely hard, especially the single rear-shock, whereas the CBR is more compliant. In front the bike sports gold-coloured upside forks that goes well with the twin-beam steel frame. Like the CBR, it looks like a pukka superbike if you stand 50 meters away and squint your eyes.

The seat also seem harder, but this is fortunately not the kind of bike where long hours in the saddle will be happening.

Riding the two back-to-back through Bellville’s midday, congested streets there is very little between them in straight-line performance. The CBR does feel more solid and less vibey though.

There is no doubt however, that with its better tyres and suspension the CBR will be peerless once the road gets twisty. The Xgjao might have USD forks, but let’s face it, it doesn’t mean they are better, at least at this price level.

However, speaking to the CBR rider on test, he admits that the CBR is the better bike, but is it worth double the price?

Chinese built-quality improve all the time. Soon perhaps we will be able to answer yes to that question with a clear conscience. For now, the Xgjao is still dogged with reliability niggles that CBR owners can hardly imagine. That should keep the “real CBR” safe for some time.

Being Chinese, it was only a matter of time before identical CBR clones started appearing everywhere under different names. For three years Xgjao had the “Chinese CBR” market to itself, now there is the CB 125 Speedbike at R12 999 (www.akxmoto.co.za), and Chain Tech (011 976 4675) that sells them under the Sumoto brand for R13 500. Both Xgjoa and Sumoto have 200cc versions available for barely a 1000 rand more each.

The Honda CBR retails at R22 500, and to make matters worth, grey import CBR150’s are being retailed at R21 950 (www.bikesunlimited.co.za).

But such is the build quality and reputation of The Big Red Wing, that for the foreseeable future the Chinese will stay what they are, cheaper alternatives for those that has neither the sense nor the money to buy the real thing.